1994 Ford Taurus Electrical System Problems

CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR FIVE DAYS WITHOUT USE. ABOUT 9:00AM I MOVED THE CAR AND PARKED IT IN THE STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM OF ANY KIND. ABOUT 45 MIN. LATER I WAS ALERTED TO THE SOUND OF A CAR HORN AND FOUND THE FORDS HORN WAS HONKING. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR TO ATTEMPT TO PULL THE LEVER TO OPEN THE HOOD THERE WAS SMOKE IN THE CAR AND A SMALL FLAME ON THE LEFT LOWER CORNER OF THE CASH. I WENT TO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PHONED 911, WAS GONE MAYBE 30 SECONDS AND WHEN I RETURNED THE DASH WAS FULLY AFLAME. I THEN DRAGGED MY HOSE OUT AND BY THE TIME @45 SECONDS LATER I GOT THE WATER ON, THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS FULLY ENGULFED. AFTER ABOUT 7 MIN. OF ME PUTTING WATER ON THE FIRE AND IT ABOUT 90% OUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP AND FINISHED PUTTING IT OUT. THE ONLY PROBLEMS THE CAR HAD BEFORE WAS THE INTERIOR LIGHTS HAD QUIT WORKING FROM THE DOOR IN JULY BUT STILL WORKED FROM THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO THE FUSE THAT FED THE RADIO AMONG OTHER THINGS HAD BLOWN BUT WHEN REPLACED WITH THE SAME 15AMP FUSE ALL HAD BEEN OK. *TR

DT: CONTACT STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD THE CHARACTERISTICALLY OF A FORD RECALL, BUT IT WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. THE SAFETY DEFECT WAS THE ELECTRICAL HOUSING CAN FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE STEERING COLUMN BEGAN TO SPARK, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF SMOKE WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE, INCLUDING RADIATOR ELECTRICAL MOTOR, ENGINE COOLING FAN MODULE, AND CYLINDER HEAD GASKET. SHE WAS NOT ALERTED OF ANY OF THESE RECALLS, AND SHE PAID FOR REPAIRS FOR ALL OF THEM OUT OF POCKET. ONCE SHE CONTACTED FORD, SHE WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE OUT OF DATE AND SHE COULD NOT BE REIMBURSED. *AK

DT: THE VEHICLE BEGAN PERFORMING POORLY THEN STARTED SMOKING UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE POLICE ARRIVED BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. *AK *NM THE VEHICLE WAS ACTING SLUGGISH PRIOR TO THE FIRE

1994 FORD TAURUS SHO. CAR WAS SITTING IDLE NOT RUNNING FOR HOURS AND SUDDENLY STARTED ON FIRE. APPROXIMENTLY 1 MONTH BEFORE THIS THE CRUISE CONTROL JUST STOPPED WORKING. ALL WIRING IS COMPLETELY DAMAGED AND THE MOTOR IS NON REPAIRABLE. THE FIRE WAS FROM UNDER THE HOOD, DRIVERS SIDE, NEAR THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT STARTED BEHIND THE FIREWALL. I HAVE SEEN ON THE NEWS AND HEARD ON THE RADIO THAT A FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS DAMAGE. MY CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. I HAVE CALLED 1-888-327-4236, AND THEY SAY THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALLS ON IT. WHY, MAY I ASK, WOULD IT HAVE BEEN ON THE NEWS AND RADIO IF THERE WERE TO BE NO RECALLS? MY CAR IS STILL SETTING WHERE THE FIRE TOOK PLACE. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SOME KIND OF ANSWER INVOLVING THIS ISSUE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO TRY TO FIX IT, MANY HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND SAID "YOU KNOW THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS MAKE AND YEAR, CHECK INTO IT". SO I AM FILING A COMPLAINT, HOPING I CAN GET SOME ANSWERS TO MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU....

DRIVING INTO CULVER DRIVE THROUGH AND NOTICE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD, DROVE CAR OUT OF DRIVE THROUGH AND PARK. CALLED 911 AND BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT THERE MY CAR WAS HEAVY WITH FIRE AND THE CAR NEXT TO IT WAS BURNED AS WELL, TOTAL ESTIMATED DAMAGES WAS $9000. MY CAR WAS TOTALED.

THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE BECAME EXTREMELY HOT AND SHUT OFF AND WOULD NOT RE-START FOR AT LEAST 15-20 MINUTES. ALSO WHEN THE VEHICLE IDLED TOO LONG IT SHUT OFF. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT AT ONE TIME THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE IGNITION MODULE, WHICH MAY BE THE CAUSE OF THE VEHICLE SHUTTING OFF. *JB

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE WILL SHUTDOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THERE IS BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE.*AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND IT JUST SET ON FIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE, THE SPEAKERS ON THE DOOR UP TO THE DASHBOARD WHERE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS LOCATED.FIRE DEPT. SAID IT WAS A SHORT CIRCUIT.*AK

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE IGNITION SWITCH TURNED 360 DEGREES WHEN TURNING THE KEY. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION. *AK

THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 5 TIMES OVER THE LAST MONTH. MECHANIC CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. SCANNER SHOWS NO CODES. TODAY IT HAPPENED IN MIDDLE LANE OF HIGHWAY WITH A TRACTOR TRAILER ON MY BUMPER. THE CAR JUST CUTS OUT WITH NO WARNING, AND WILL USUALL RESTART BEFORE I COAST TO A STOP.*AK

ENGINE DIED IN TRAFFIC LANE ON A WINDING MOUNTAIN ROAD, LUCKILY, WE WERE NOT STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE.*AK

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM AS INDICATED IN RECALL IN CALIFORNIA WHERE VEHICLE WILL STALL DUE TO TFI IGNITION MODULE. HOWEVER, THIS RECALL WAS NOT INCLUDED IN OTHER STATES. *AK *JB

IGNITION JUST CUT RIGHT OFF WITH NO PRIOR WARNING.*AK

CONSUMER COULD TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT ALL ELECTRICAL POWER STAY ON, INCLUDING LIGHTS JUST LIKE KEY WILL BE IN PLACE. *AK

CONSUMER IDENTIFIED PROBLEM AS BEING WITH IGNITION MODULE AND VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER. *AK *SLC

CERTAIN LIGHTS AND FUSES WOULD GO OUT ON VEHICLE, BECAUSE OF TAILGATE DOOR OPENING/CLOSING, AND WIRES MAKING CONTACT WITH METAL, AND WHEN THEY ARE ALL FUSED TOGETHER IT CAN CAUSE A FIRE.*AK WIRING HARNESS WAS NOT INSULATED AND MAKES CONTACT WITH METAL AND BURNS. *YH

CONSUMER WENT OUT TO START VEHICLE. PUT KEY INTO IGNITION AND STARTED VEHICLE TO CHARGE. HE TOOK KEY OUT OF VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE WAS RUNNING WITHOUT KEY INSIDE OF IGNITION.*AK

VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

IN REGARD TO THE CALIFORNIA JUDGES RECALL ORDER REGARDING THE ENGINE STALL OF THESE VEHICLE I'M A WALKING TESTAMENT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE MODULES, I WAS ON THE FREEWAY IN STOP AND GO RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE CAR JUST STOPPED. MY FAMILY COULD OF BEEN KILLED. I BELIEVE FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM , I ALSO BELIEVE IT IS PROBABLY A SIMPLE FIX TO THE SOLUTION, BUT THAT FORD WILL NOT OWN UP TO IT AND SO THAT MEANS L WILL END UP PAYING TOP DOLLAR TO HAVE THE MODULE REPLACED,TO INSURE MY FAMILY'S SAFETY, BUT IREPLACING THE MODULE IS NOT THE ANSWER. THE MODULE SHOULD BE MOVED AND REMOUNTED TO A SAFER AND COOLER PLACE IN THE ENGINE. A QUICK $4.00 FIX . FORD SHOULD OFFER TO DO THIS , BUT INSTEAD THEY WILL WAIT TILL THERE HAVE BEEN MANY ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES. BEFORE ADMITTING FAULT.